Letting the Paint Dry
by Berkwood Court
Summary: As requested, here's a sequel to "Paint." It's a collection of mostly unrelated One-Shots in ABC order. Please note that they are NOT in chronological order. Chapter 7: Glimpses into the future of Jane and Lisbon's little family. (A/N: I'm back from the dead! This chapter is insanely short, I know, but it's something.)
1. Aftermath

**Author's Note:** I'm warning you now: UPDATES WILL BE SLOW. I have a busy schedule; I'm surprised I was even able to post this! Hopefully I can update on weekends every now and then.

I'd like to thank those of you who read my last story, _Paint_. This is the sequel.

Thank you to **Guest** and **dancing through** for the ideas, I'm incorporating both to this story. You guys rock! :)

This story will be 26 chapters long (Yes, an alphabet story…), although some of them may be cut into 2 parts, I'm not sure yet. We'll see how it goes!

Please let me know what you think. This chapter starts right after the end of _Paint._

…

**AFTERMATH**

Lisbon's POV. Enjoy!

…

They had a little bit of time before they had to be at work, so Jane offered to take her out for coffee. She was a bit skeptical, but Lisbon accepted.

She let him drive. It was becoming a bad habit and she feared it would be the death of her. It would be just her luck to have faced being held at gunpoint, been a hostage of Red John, and countless other dangerous situations only to die in a car accident caused by her annoying yet somehow charming consultant.

_Harming?_ Lisbon thought. _Where did _that_ come from?_ She'd noticed that her opinions of Jane had changed over the past few months. They'd gone from "I'd kill him if I could" to "I can stand him" to "He's charming" in a matter of years. Where did the time go?

"So," Jane started cheerfully. "Where would you like to go for coffee?" Lisbon had no idea how he had so much energy, but whatever he was on… She needed it. She felt like a zombie.

"I don't care, I just need something strong," she told him. "I didn't get much sleep, you know." She grinned at him.

"No sympathy for self-inflicted wounds, Teresa," Jane winked at her.

"Self-inflicted? Please."

"If I recall, I did offer to take you home several times," he seemed amused at their bickering.

"You were the one who woke me up in the first place!" She kept her tone teasing, but his expression hardened a bit.

"And I apologized."

"You did," Lisbon agreed, leaning back against the seat, closing her eyes. It was going to be a long day.

"So, something strong?" Jane asked softly.

"Mmm," she hummed. "Please."

…

They came to a stop a little later, and Lisbon heard Jane's door open and close. She didn't bother opening her eyes, she assumed he'd come open the door for her. She was savoring the rest she got, no matter how small.

Jane didn't come for her.

Blinking the slight bleariness out of her vision, she looked around. The car was parked in front of a Starbucks, next to a red Volkswagen Bug. She looked around, hoping to spot the familiar blonde head walking towards her.

No such luck. He'd only been gone for a few seconds, but Lisbon was terrified that he'd get himself into trouble.

_Dear lord, what is _wrong_ with me?!_ Lisbon cursed herself mentally. He was Jane, for crying out loud. And he was just getting coffee. Nothing to worry about.

She'd been on edge since Red John had tricked her into believing Jane was his hostage. She'd willingly followed Red John's instructions and placed herself in his hands, only to find out the whole thing was a trick. She'd felt so _stupid_, but it was an odd mixture of idiocy and relief. Jane had been safe.

So she thought, anyway. Lisbon had underestimated how much Jane really cared about her. As soon as he found out she was missing, Jane was tracking her like a bloodhound. Within hours, he'd burst into the house where Red John was holding her, without a moment to spare.

They both could've died then, so if she was a little jumpy now and then… _Sue me,_ she thought bitterly. She resisted the urge to jump out of the car and fly into the coffee shop, demanding to see Jane.

She really hated causing scenes like that, though they seemed to be Jane's specialty. She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. He couldn't be back soon enough, she really needed her coffee. She wasn't herself right now, as she was overprotective and melodramatic when she needed sleep.

She was starting to get fidgety when Jane emerged from the Starbucks, a grin on his face. She instantly relaxed.

Seriously, what was with her? Lisbon never got like this, except when she was younger and her little brothers were in danger. But that was _years_ ago. She had no excuse now. She loved her brothers and would do anything for them, including die. Jane was- oh _crap._

She'd been willing to die for Jane. She knew that as soon as she decided to go to Red John for him.

Did she really-? No, it wasn't possible. It couldn't be. They'd only shared their first kiss a few hours ago!

When Jane opened his door and climbed into the car, Lisbon was too stunned to even thank him for the coffee. Jane raised an eyebrow upon seeing her dazed expression. She shook her head and sipped the hot drink, trying to calm herself.

They drove in silence for a few miles until Jane couldn't take it anymore.

"Alright, out with it," he said without taking his eyes off the road.

"Out with what?" Her voice came put sharper than she intended and she winced.

"You're anxious," he said like it was obvious. And it was, she supposed. "Why?"

"You're the psychic, you tell me," Lisbon smirked.

"No such thing as psychics, Lisbon, you know that," he smirked.

"I guess I do," she said. She remained silent for a while until they pulled into the CBI parking lot. She managed a smile for the security guard who let them in. Jane passed up his usual spot and drove around to the back of the building. He parked there and turned toward her.

"Are you going to tell me or not?" He demanded.

"I-" Lisbon started, but changed her mind, "it's nothing, Jane. Don't worry about it."

She felt stupid for saying that. This was _Jane._ He'd get an answer, no matter what it took.

"Don't worry about it," he scoffed. He rolled his eyes. "Why are you shutting me out?" His tone softened.

Ouch.

"I- I'm not doing it intentionally," she sighed. "I'm sorry. It's just… It's a lot to take in." He relaxed against the seat and took her hand. He seemed ready to have a long conversation. _Oh, joy,_ Lisbon thought.

"What's a lot to take in?" he asked her.

"This!" she gestured between them with her free hand, looking pointedly at the reason she only had the one. "Yesterday I would've punched you for holding my hand," she was blushing, she could feel it, "but now…"

"Lisbon," Jane paused. "Teresa. Are you… Are you _blushing_? Oh, man, if I'd know this was all it took to get you to blush-"

"_Hush!"_ Lisbon resisted the urge to yank her hand out of his. This was getting ridiculous.

"No, no- I just- This is new information! What's so bad about this anyway?" He lifted their hands.

"Nothing's _bad_," she told him, looking away. "It's just different."

"What do you mean 'different'?" Jane sounded like he was grinning. "Good different?"

"You tell me," Lisbon quickly undid her seatbelt, grabbed her coffee, and hurried across the parking lot. Without looking back, she bolted inside.

She made it to the elevator, but Jane caught her there. Neither of them said a word as the waited for the doors to open.

Unluckily for her, the small room was empty. She cursed in her head, stepping through and pressing the button for their floor. She took a long drink of her coffee, ignoring Jane's gaze. As soon as the doors were shut, he reached forward and flicked the switch that stopped the elevator.

He looked at her for a few moments, and when she couldn't handle the silence anymore, she took another sip of her coffee. She wanted to put off this conversation for as long as possible, but she knew she couldn't delay it forever.

She swallowed the warm liquid and brought the cup away from her lips. Jane was still staring at her and she felt her cheeks heat up. She knew she must have been bright red by now, but she still couldn't look up at him. For another moment, they were still.

Jane stepped toward her. Instinctively, Lisbon backed up. He kept coming, so she retreated until she hit the wall of the elevator. She still refused to make eye contact

"Jane," she began, "what are yo-"

All coherent thoughts flew from her mind and he hadn't even _touched_ her yet. She was stunned into silence. His face was _right there_.

"Answer the question," he murmured.

"What question?" She breathed, squeezing her eyes shut.

"You know what question," he told her. "Don't toy with me, woman."

"Oh," she feigned innocence, "that question."

"Yes, _that_ question…"

"Do I have to?"

"_Lisbon,_" He sounded threatening, so she knew he was done messing around. She opened her eyes.

Jane was much closer than she'd thought.

"Yes," her voice was small, "it's a good kind of different."

"That's what I thought," Jane whispered before crashing his lips to hers.

His fingers caressed her face briefly before securing themselves in her hair. Lisbon clutched at the front of his shirt, moving her lips against his. How had they not thought of this sooner?

Jane pulled away and straightened his shirt. He flicked the same switch from before and the elevator jolted upward.

Her mind still whirling, Lisbon ran her fingers though her hair. If it was too unruly, it could cause speculation.

"You look wonderful," Jane told her. She glanced up to find that he was staring at her again. She smiled softly. His expression changed to one she'd never seen on him… Yet it was so _familiar._

_ Was that..?_ She wondered. _No…_

Before she could voice her curiosity, Jane leaned down and brushed his lips against her cheeks. The second he straightened up, the doors reopened. He strode out of the elevator as he usually did, but Lisbon noticed a slight spring in his step as he made a beeline for his couch.

She shook her head with a smile before composing herself. She swallowed what was left of her coffee and made her way into the bullpen.

…

**Author's Note:** Tada, Chapter One of the SEQUEL. I'll admit, it was a bit shorter than I'd have liked, but I don't think it was too terrible.

I'd love to hear your feedback: Did you like it? LOVE it? Hate it? Or…?

I'm also accepting ideas for future chapters, so feel free to give me your input.

Reviews are love!


	2. Bets

**Author's Note:** Oh my Zeus, you guys. I love you all! 11 reviews? I can't even describe how happy that makes me. And 58 reviews on _Paint_… I think I exploded from joy. I seriously love you guys. Everyone reading this gets a fluffy-ducky hug. Those are the best kinds of hugs.

So because you are all so FANTASTIC, here's chapter 2. And guess what: **It was my birthday on Wednesday! **(10.24.12) Maybe a review could be my present? :D

**To dancingthrough:** thank you for your idea, I hope you like how I used it. :)

…

**BETS**

Jane's POV. Enjoy!

…

Another case closed, another boat load of paper work to fill out.

Not that Jane would go anywhere near that, he'd leave that to the professionals. He rolled over on his couch, settling in for a nice, long nap. It didn't take long for him to fall asleep.

…

About an hour later, Jane woke up to the sound of whispering.

"- think is going on between them?" Grace asked. Silence followed, so he assumed the other party shrugged. Ooh, office gossip. He loved waking up to this. He kept up the pretense of sleep, wondering who Grace could be referring to.

"Didn't you see them come into work together the other day?" She tried again. "He seemed happier, and so did Lisbon." Jane perked up a bit. Was Grace talking about _him _and_ Lisbon_?

"So?" Cho answered. "Doesn't mean anything."

"I agree," Rigsby said slowly, as though picking his words carefully, "but there could still be something there."

"Exactly," Grace sounded like she was smiling. This was getting boring, so Jane planned to wake up.

"If there _is_ something going on," Rigsby started, "who would be the first to break and do something at work?"

"Lisbon," Cho said.

"Jane," Grace answered at the same time.

"I have to side with Cho this time," Rigsby told Grace. "Jane's got nerves of steel."

"Are we betting then?" Grace asked.

_Good question,_ Jane thought.

"Guess so," Cho said. There was a hum of approval, but Jane couldn't tell whose voice it was. "What's the wager?"

"Umm," Grace trailed off, "loser- or in this case loser_s_ buy lunch for a week. For everyone including Jane and Lisbon."

"Deal," Cho and Rigsby chorused.

Well, this would be interesting.

…

The paperwork was done, the case closed-pizza was eaten… Everyone was packed up and ready to go home. Jane waited for Grace to leave alone so he could follow her, but Rigsby was always hot on her heels.

Those two really needed to hook up, or _something. _Even Jane could feel the tension between them. It was the elephant in the room. After this project, he'd set to work on them.

Grace excused herself to the ladies room. Jane stood and hurried after her, ignoring the strange look from Lisbon.

"Grace," he called after her. The red head turned around, startled.

"Yes?"

"Do you want to win the bet?" She blinked.

"I'm sorry?"

"The bet," he said slowly. "Do you want to win it?"

"Yes," she said, "but how did you even-?"

"Wasn't really asleep," he explained. She nodded, glancing at the bathroom door. Right.

"Don't let the guys leave," he told her. "Five minutes after the last of you try to leave, watch inside Lisbon's office. I'll open the blinds." She nodded again and Jane smiled. "You're very observant to pick up on this, Grace. I've trained you well." Jane turned away and headed back to the bullpen.

Behind him, Grace rolled her eyes.

…

"Well, I think I'll head out early," Rigsby announced, getting up out of his chair. The rest of the team nodded and said their goodbyes.

"I think I'll leave now, too," Grace said quickly. Lisbon raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment. As soon as they were out of sight, Lisbon disappeared into her office. Jane left the bullpen in search of Grace and Rigsby. They were near the elevator.

"Cho's still here, when do you want to do this?" Grace asked, ignoring Rigsby's confused expression.

"Now's fine," Jane grinned. "Get Cho and watch through the window. Stay hidden." He quickly walked to Lisbon's office, making sure that the blinds were open before knocking on the door frame.

"Yes?" Lisbon answered. She looked up and smiled.

"The others are gone now," he told her. Her smile widened and Jane walked closer until they were about a foot apart. "It's just us."

Lisbon hummed her approval and glanced out the window to make sure he wasn't lying. The team was out of sight, but Jane knew that they could still see what was going on. He ought to act quickly or Rigsby and Cho would leave.

"I missed you," Jane said, reclaiming Lisbon's attention. She rolled her eyes but smiled all the same.

"You've been with me all day," she informed him.

"You know what I mean," he leaned down and brushed his lips across hers. She knotted her fingers in his hair. He pressed himself tighter against her, deepening the kiss. They stayed like that for a few seconds. Jane was content with standing like that for longer, but his lungs had different ideas.

They broke apart, breathing heavily. Jane grinned.

"Well," Lisbon paused, "that was… that was… What was that?" She was adorably dazed. Her expression was almost laughable, yet endearing. He should catch her off guard more often.

"That, my dear," Jane told her, "was a favor." Her smile vanished.

"Wait, what?" She demanded, yanking herself out of his arms. "What do you mean, _'it was a favor'_?" Her glare turned icy.

"Teresa," he warned. He didn't want her to lose her temper, "it wasn't like that and you know it. It was a favor that I was more than willing to oblige."

"Explain," she snapped. "Now."

Jane told her about waking up to the sound of gossip and realizing that the two of them were the topic of interest. He filled her in about the bet and how Cho and Rigsby thought she would be the first to break.

"I have more self-control than you think!" Lisbon scoffed.

"Says the woman who throws staplers at my head on an almost daily basis," Jane snorted. "But I agree with you, so I confronted Grace. See, I was more than willing to let her win, it meant I could do this," he pressed his lips to hers again. He could imagine Rigsby groaning in disgust. Grinning, he pulled away.

"They're watching us right now, aren't they?" Lisbon realized, stepping away. She looked out the window.

"Don't blame them, I had Grace pull them aside," he suddenly felt a bit guilty. It was strange, the effect she had on him. It was unnerving.

"I'm not blaming them," she said. He exhaled, relieved. "I blame _you_."

Of course, he should've seen that one coming. He was a mentalist, after all.

"What?" Jane asked. "Why?"

"First, you were napping on the job," she rolled her eyes. "That's not unusual, but still. Next, you eavesdropped and decided to butt in. Lastly, you kept me out of the loop! Haven't we been over this? I know I can't stop you from pulling stupid stunts, but I at least want to know what's going on. If I can't trust you enough to te-"

Jane pressed a finger to her lips. She made a sound of protest, but he had something to say.

"Fine, fine," he told her. "This was the last time, I swear. I only wanted to help Grace win the bet. She deserves it. Okay?" Lisbon nodded and Jane removed his finger.

"I bet Rigsby's pissed," she said. "Cho may be aggravated, but we won't be able to tell." Jane grinned again.

"Let's go find out," he said, grabbing Lisbon's hand and pulling her out of the office.

…

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the short chapter, but there are many more to come! Also, if the summary change confused you, sorryyyy! I'll be changing it to match the summary of the most recent chapter. :)

As I said before, my birthday was Wednesday, so please review! I'll love you foreverrrr!


	3. Color (Part 1)

**Author's Note:** You guys are amazing, I can't say that enough. Thank you for the birthday wishes! Much love. :)

I'm so so so so sooo sorry about the slow update. Though I must say, you were warned. I'm awful, I know. BUT! I should be able to post a couple of chapters over the next few weeks, but no promises.

I almost regret posting this story, it's growing time consuming. And it's giving me writer's block. It isn't even GOOD, why am I doing this again? Right, because Jane/Lisbon are perfect. Arghhhh.

Seriously, if you have any ideas for chapters, LET ME KNOW! Help is much appreciated!

Also, **Marcia Santos**, this whole story is basically "Life after '_Paint'_" so it isn't just an ending. It's what happened after everything else and it will include glimpses into their future (like this chapter) and even some farther back, if I can come up with something worth reading. Hopefully that explains this story a bit more.

Without further ado, here is chapter 3. It's set _way_ in the future, so don't worry if you think you've missed something. I'm just as lost as you are. XD WARNING: kind of gross, due to... well, you'll see.

…

**Color**

Lisbon's POV

…

Cases involving children always hit home. For Jane, it seemed worse. Needless to say, everyone was relieved when the killer was apprehended. The appropriate papers were filled out, the case-closed pizza was eaten, and now her team was heading to their respective homes for some well-earned sleep.

Most of the team was, anyway. Lisbon would be staying late for the third time this week, much to Jane's disapproval. Lisbon wasn't shocked at all to find her curly-haired consultant lounging on the couch in her office.

"Jane, go home," Lisbon sighed.

"Take your own advice, Teresa. And I thought I finally persuaded you to call me Patrick," he teased.

"Not in a great mood, _Patrick_," she said sarcastically. "I'm not feeling well. You know better than to get put on my bad list when I'm sick. My wrath becomes ten thousand times worse."

"Good point," Jane mock-shuddered. "Are you alright? You seemed fine earlier."

"Probably just a stomach bug," Lisbon replied. "I heard the flu was making a comeback. I'll take some Pepto Bismol when we get home and sleep it off."

His grin at _"when we get home"_ didn't go unnoticed by her. She'd recently agreed to move in with him after months of putting up with his tantrums and pouting. It was an interesting change, though it did make overnight stay a lot easier. Those were fun.

_Focus,_ Lisbon scolded herself. A wave of nausea hit her suddenly and she clapped a hand over her mouth. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly and willed the contents of her stomach to stay put.

"Teresa?" Jane asked. "Do you need a trash can?"

She was about to shake her head when she lost the internal battle. She squeaked uncharacteristically and streaked around the side of her desk to the thankfully close to empty trash can. Jane was right behind her and held her hair as she retched.

Shaking, she sank to the floor. Where had _that_ come from? She wondered. She hadn't been sick like that in years.

"Teresa, are you sure you want to stay late again?" Jane asked lightly. "Clearly, you need rest. Come on, let's go home." He tried to help her to her feet, but the motion sent her head reeling. She braced herself for the next round of vomit, but the feeling vanished as fast as it arrived.

"Fine," she finally caved. She allowed him to carefully help her to her feet and lead her toward the elevator.

...

Lisbon made Jane stop twice on the way home so she could throw up. This stomach bug would be the death of her, she was sure of it. When they were finally home, she could barely wait long enough for Jane to unlock the door. The second it was open, she sprinted to the closest bathroom and emptied her stomach- which should have been impossible, but apparently not.

When she was done, she flushed the toilet and stood. She walked unsteadily to the master bedroom and found Jane had set a trash can next to her side of the bed, a bottle of water on the night stand, and various medications on the dresser across the room.

A small rush of affection washed over her when Jane came out of the master bathroom with a wet washcloth. He brushed her hair over her shoulders and gently dabbed the cool, damp towel across the back of her neck.

Lisbon shivered and tilted her head back to increase the pressure of the cloth. Jane chuckled and removed it, leaving a bit of moisture on her neck. Lisbon hugged herself lightly and hurried into their bathroom to brush her teeth.

Jane was sitting patiently on their bed when she came back.

"What's wrong, Teresa?" Jane asked carefully. "I've never seen you this helpless."

"I told you, it's probably just the flu," she sighed. "Rigsby had it last week, remember?"

"Yes, I know," he gently rubbed her back. "But even he wasn't this bad."

"I'll be fine, Patrick."

"Stubborn as always, I see. Even when you're sick, you won't let me help you, will you?"

"Doubt it," Lisbon told him. "I'm tired."

"Then by all means, sleep," Jane moved to let her lie down. He walked to the door and turned out the light before heading to the bathroom to change and brush his own teeth.

…

"Teresa, you can't go to work like this," Jane was growing more exasperated by the minute, but so was she.

"How many times have I told you this morning?" Lisbon demanded. "I'm _fine._ Now give me back my car keys.

"No. I'm not taking you to work and I'm not going to leave the keys here so you can drive yourself there."

"Dammit, Jane," she groaned. "I'll just call Grace, she'll come get me."

"Not if I called her and the rest of the team last night and told them that you were sick, she won't," he smirked.

"Fine!" she snapped. "Go to work without me! I'll stay here and wallow in my misery while you and the team go out and close cases."

"Glad you agree," Jane said, stepping through the front door and outside. "Love you, feel better!" he called as he hurried to close the door. Lisbon shrieked, picked up the first thing she could grab, and threw it at the door, but Jane was already safely outside.

With a groan, Lisbon stomped into the living room and picked up the phone.

She was about to dial Grace's number when her stomach lurched again. She speed walking to the bathroom and made it just in time to dry heave into the toilet.

She gasped when it was over and leaned back against the wall. It was cool against her skin.

Lisbon remembered the phone in her hand and redialed Grace's number.

"Lisbon?" Grace answered after three rings. "I'm not coming to get you, if that's what you want. You need to sleep."

"No, I know," Lisbon groaned. "Jane was very thorough about making sure I stay home today."

"What, then? Is everything okay?"

"Yes, I was just wondering if you could bring me some things," she explained. "Jane took my keys."

"Sure, what do you need?"

"More Pepto Bismol, I'm going to run out soon. Also, maybe some sprite and saltines?" She asked.

"Absolutely. Anything else?"

Lisbon paused as a terrifying thought popped into her head. Should she ask? Might as well; if she couldn't as Grace, she couldn't ask anyone.

"Grace… Do you think you could get me a pregnancy test?"

...

**Author's Note:** MWAHAHAHA, I'm evil! Don't worry, guys, I'm typing part 2 as we speak. How predictable am I? You'll understand the title for this chapter when you read part 2.

Review, please! Don't hate on my cliffie, even though you probably saw it coming. Lol!


	4. Color (Part 2)

**Author's Note:** Those of you that read "Color (Part 1)" before I posted this probably hate me, but that's okay. Sorry it took so long for me to update, I ran out of time! I was half way done typing and was forced off of the computer. I put up a decent fight, though.

Yes, I know, I'm predictable, but it was too perfect to pass up. Bwahaha. Plus, I don't think I've ever really done a cliffhanger. My first was cheesy, don't hate.

On with part 2!

Set 4 Months AFTER Part 1.

…

**Color**

Lisbon's POV

…

"Jane, where are you taking me?" Lisbon asked. Her patience with him was very thin these days.

"You'll see," he said, placing a hand on her knee comfortingly. She grumbled under her breath. "What was that?" Jane asked.

"Nothing," Lisbon sighed. She rubbed her swollen belly absentmindedly. Her "stomach bug" wasn't really the flu, apparently. Grace was surprised when Lisbon asked for a pregnancy test. When it came out positive, Grace was over the moon. It seemed she had a hidden love for babies and was glad to get Lisbon as excited as she was.

The happiness was quickly replaced with irritability and impatience. She'd been 6 weeks pregnant when she took the test, so what she thought was just the flu turned out to be morning sickness. Now she was 5 and a half months pregnant, and she started showing about a month ago.

Jane was ecstatic as well. She'd been worried about his reaction, seeing as his only child was… Lisbon stopped that train of thought in its tracks. No. This was completely different.

But it wasn't, really. Jane loved Angela and had a baby with her. He loved Lisbon, too, and now they were having a baby. The first one was a tragedy that still gave Lisbon chills, but she was uncertain about Jane's opinion on the matter until she finally told him.

She smiled a bit at the memory.

…

_ Pregnant. Pregnant? Teresa Lisbon, pregnant. It was weird to think about; she knew she was good with kids, she'd practically raised her brothers, but she hadn't put much thought into becoming a mom. She thought she'd missed her window, but here she was._

_ Pregnant._

_ The test in her hand had a little pink plus sign, which meant "positive", according to the instructions. Lisbon was indeed with child. Suddenly dizzy, she set the test down on the nightstand on her side of the bed._

_ How did this- well, not _how_, obviously, but… Oh, God. She had to tell Jane._

_ Jane was going to be a father again. She felt light headed. Would he be happy about a second chance, or would he push her away?_

_ She couldn't let something like that happen to her child. The baby would not grow up without a father. She felt a surge of protection rush through her whole body and her heart rate picked up._

_ She was going to be a mother. There was a baby growing inside of her._

_ How was she going to tell Jane? She was going to keep it, regardless of his reaction._

_ He should be home soon, Grace had dropped off the test for her earlier that morning and Lisbon couldn't bring herself to even look at it for hours. When she finally gathered enough courage to use it, there was only 15 minutes left until they usually got off of work._

_ She had roughly 5 minutes to plan it out. Oh, joy._

_ 'Patrick, we're having a baby.' No, that was a bit straightforward. Or would that be a good thing?_

_ 'Can we talk?' That sounded like bad news, and this was certainly a good thing._

_ 'How was work?' God, no._

_ 'Guess what, Patrick!' Woah, enthusiastic much?_

_ She'd just have to wing it. Speaking of Jane, she saw his car pull into the driveway through the window. She jumped to her feet, but her stomach did not like that. Groaning, she rushed to the bathroom and hunched over the toilet for what felt like the hundredth time that day._

_ "Teresa?" Jane called._

_ "In here," she replied weakly. _This should be interesting_, she thought._

_ "Are you feeling any better?" he asked when he saw her. He stepped toward her, but she stood and looked at him evenly._

_ "It's not the flu," she told him._

_ "It's not?"_

_ "No," she said quietly. She had an idea. Lisbon flushed the toilet, grabbed Jane's hand, and led him to the bedroom._

_ If he was confused when she told him it wasn't the flu, it was nothing compared to now. His expression was almost laughable. Ignoring his questioning gaze, Lisbon reached forward and picked up the pregnancy test._

_ She took a deep breath and showed him the results._

_ "I'm pregnant."_

_ Jane blinked. He looked at the test, then back at Lisbon, then at the test again._

_"Are you sure?" he asked cautiously._

_ "Positive," Lisbon smirked at the lame pun._

_ "You're- you're pregnant?"_

_ "Yes."_

_ "We're pregnant." He stated. Lisbon nodded._

_ Jane grinned and repeated the statement. Lisbon beamed and kept nodding._

_ He kissed her then, and lifted her off the floor._

_ "We're going to have a baby!" He shouted._

…

"Why are we at Wal*Mart? I thought you said you had a surprise!" Lisbon was getting aggravated again, despite reliving her announcement to Jane. Though charming at times, the man was irritating.

"Patience, Teresa."

He stepped out of the car and hurried to the other side to open her door. Ignoring his outstretched hand, Lisbon pulled herself up. Together they walked toward the entrance. Jane had a spring in his step, while she was sulking. She'd much rather be at home, watching old movies in her pajamas.

"After you," Jane gestured to the automatic door. Lisbon rolled her eyes at him and kept walking.

"Patrick, what are we doing here?" She asked with a sigh. "I swear to God, if this is just a grocery run, I'm going back to the car."

"This is no ordinary 'grocery run', Teresa," Jane grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the home improvement section of the store. Lisbon suddenly had a feeling of déjà vu; they were heading straight for a paint display.

"Jane?" A familiar voice called from an aisle they were passing. "_There_ you are!" Grace appeared from around the corner.

"Grace, what-?" Lisbon was beyond confused now.

"Oh, Jane didn't tell you?" she eyed him disapprovingly. "We're going to start decorating the nursery!"

Lisbon's heart warmed. She'd been meaning to do that for weeks, but couldn't find the time.

"Yes, I know you've wanting to start for a while now, and we weren't busy this weekend, so Grace and I thought now would be a perfect time to pick out some of the basics," Jane explained. Lisbon rose onto her toes and pressed a kiss to his lips.

"Thank you," she murmured before turning back to Grace.

"Do you have any idea what color you want to paint the walls?" She asked. "Oh, and do you know the gender yet?"

"We decided to wait," Lisbon told her. "We'll keep the color neutral and add more gender-friendly decorations after the baby is born."

"Okay," Grace turned to the wall of paint samples. "Are we thinking green? Maybe white, or yellow, or purple, or oh- look at this! Teal, how precious." Lisbon tuned Grace's musings out as she browsed the rainbow of paint.

A certain, familiar color caught Lisbon's eye and she grinned. She nudged Jane and gestured to the sample.

"Teresa, is that-?" Jane asked. "That's the color we used to repaint the guest room. Their room." She nodded and pulled the paper out of the display.

"Would that be too weird, or-" she broke off.

"It's perfect."

"Are you sure? I thought we were leaving that behind with this new house," she said slowly. "We aren't forgetting, obviously, but the bad memories are gone now. New baby, new house, new life."

Jane bent down and kissed her. When they broke apart, he smiled.

"It's perfect," he repeated.

"Guys?" Grace asked. "I hate to interrupt such a sweet moment, but I only have so much time before I need to get home."

Jane was the one to roll his eyes this time. Lisbon grinned.

"What's next, Grace?" she asked.

"There's a crib, toys, bottles, books," she trailed off, grinning. "I don't know where to start!"

"Let's find a crib first," Lisbon was feeling overwhelmed. Who knew decorating a nursery could become so time consuming?

"I saw one earlier, before you guys got here. It's adorable; I know exactly where it is."

"Then by all means, lead on," Jane told her. He grabbed Lisbon's hand and laced his fingers through hers.

…

**Author's Note:** Any suggestions for the next chapter? Help is appreciated and the same goes for reviews! I love you guys, thank you so much for sticking with the story even though my updates are slow. If I get an idea tonight, I'll post a new chapter either today or tomorrow.

I'm thinking "Dammit, Jane" for a title, but I need a scenario! I'll love you forever. ;)


	5. Dammit, Jane!

**Author's Note:** Thank you guys for the suggestions, it helped a lot. :) However, I decided to go with **LouiseRisa**'s idea. Also, **Guest** pointed out that Jane seemed rather enthusiastic about a new baby, so I tried to sort of… I don't know. Give him a bit of a reality check? Ehh.

Typing this while having a Harry Potter Movie Marathon with friends, so if this seems slightly more off than usual, it's because I'm quoting whichever film we're on and it's late. Totally worth it, though. Lol.

Side-note! Anne was Charlotte's middle name, and it sort of bothers me when people either use Charlotte or Angela for a Jane/Lisbon baby, so I just used the same middle name. :)

Okay, enough rambling. Sort of an Angst-y post-baby chapter. Enjoy!

…

**Dammit, Jane!**

Jane's POV

…

Megan Anne Jane was born on May 16, 2014 at 3:14 in the morning. She had vivid blue eyes and hair black as night.

As Jane stared into his newborn daughter's eyes, his heart gave a painful lurch. Megan had his own and Charlotte's eyes. He was suddenly back at the birth of his first daughter, reliving the immense joy at the sight of a pure life in his arms. He heard Charlotte utter her first word, watched her take her first steps. Jane watched his daughter grow older and older, until all too soon, it was over.

Lisbon, exhausted from several hours of labor, was unconscious on the hospital bed. Blinking rapidly, Jane set Megan in the plastic crib and hurried out of the room.

Red John was gone, Jane wouldn't let anything happen to his Megan. Like Charlotte, she was too precious for anyone to harm. Although, unlike Charlotte, she would finish school, would make a life of her own, become successful however she wanted. Unlike Charlotte, Megan would live.

Jane quickened his pace, rounded a corner, and rushed into the suddenly visible men's room. Once safely in a stall with the door locked, Jane sat on the toilet and placed his head in his hands. He took several shaky breaths to calm himself.

Charlotte.

Megan.

They were different people entirely, yet they had the same hold on his heart. He straightened up and composed himself.

He opened the stall door and stepped out in front of one of the sinks. Jane looked at his reflection in the mirror and sighed. He hadn't slept in days, the baby's birth kept him too wound up. There were dark circles under his eyes. His hair was disheveled and he was wearing scrubs on top of his usual 3-piece suit.

Lisbon had gone into labor at work, after the rest of the team had gone home. Stubborn woman had to finish her paperwork. Jane had been about to put his foot down and use force to get her home when she gasped. He'd asked what was the matter, but she'd brushed it off. On their way to the elevator, she'd done the same thing and doubled over. Rather than take her home, Jane rushed her to the hospital.

By the time they arrived, Lisbon's labor had hit full force. Groaning in agony, she'd sworn to Jane that he'd never lay a finger on her again. He'd grinned at that, though she seemed completely serious.

Refocusing on his reflection, Jane noticed that his usually bright blue eyes had a new light in them. Something he hadn't seen in years.

He turned the sink on and splashed a bit of cool water onto his face before leaving the bathroom and making his way back to Lisbon's room.

"Dammit, Jane, where have you been?" A wide-awake Lisbon demanded. In her arms was Megan, who was screaming her tiny, pink head off. "You're supposed to be good with kids, why is she crying?"

Jane stepped toward his wailing daughter and removed her from her mother's arms with a small smile. It seemed Megan had a knack for annoying her mother, much like he did. Also like Jane, Lisbon would love her more than she thought possible.

…

A Few Months Later (Lisbon's POV)

…

An all-too-familiar shriek filled the house. Groaning, Lisbon got up out of bed. She didn't bother checking the clock, she only needed to know one thing: it was too early for this. This was the second time that night that Megan woke her up with her crying.

Usually, she was just hungry. Sometimes she needed to be changed, and very rarely did she just need to be held.

"What's wrong, baby?" Lisbon cooed. Megan whimpered when she heard her mother's voice and Lisbon sighed. She gently lifted Megan out of her crib and rocked her back and forth, bouncing slightly.

Megan's cries turn to the occasional sniffle, and finally she slept. Lisbon stopped the humming she hadn't realized she'd started and set Megan back in her crib. She rubbed her eyes and stumbled back to hers and Jane's room.

She stepped into the bedroom as he stepped out.

"Dammit, Jane!" She hissed. "What are you doing up?"

"Megan was crying, I thought I'd come help," he murmured sleepily.

"Go back to sleep, she's fine."

Jane hummed his approval and they both made their ways back to bed and fell asleep onto of the covers.

…

**Author's Note:** I don't even know what this was. Honestly. I think I'm half asleep right now, that explains part of it. Heh. Sorry it's so short.

Any ideas for the "E" chapter? Feel free to leave your suggestion in a _review_. Remember: sharing is caring!

Yeah, I need sleep. Tootles!


	6. Every Time

**Author's Note:** I'm terrible, I know! This may be the last update until either mid-March (Spring Break!) or possibly even summertime.

It's mainly because of UIL. I was the only one from my grade level to make it into the show- The Grapes of Wrath- so it's a very big deal to me. Rehearsals take up the majority of my time, so like I said, expect very slow updates.

This chapter may not make sense, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. I'm sorry that it's so short!

QUICK NOTE: Happy Birthday to my best friend in the ENTIRE UNIVERSE! **All The Best People Are Mad**, you are my reason for living. I hope your day was as absolutely wonderful as you are!

As always, REVIEW!

…

Every Time

Lisbon's POV

(**Before Red John's death**)

…

Every time she was mad at him, she felt the need to throw something. Usually it would be something along the lines of a stapler, though there had been much worse. Most of the time these things would be sent sailing across the room- at Jane. One time she actually tried to throw a chair at him; he'd ducked out of the room before she could even get it off of the ground.

Lisbon smiled bitterly. The look of terror in his eyes had oddly satisfied her that day. It was the first time that he'd seen her as a threat.

She idly wondered if that was the day she started falling for him.

The blonde consultant was annoying, intolerable, manipulative, annoying, infuriating, a pain in her neck, insufferable, arrogant, and _annoying_- yet somehow he was her best friend. How he managed that, she'll never know. She would probably never ask, either, because that would mean admitting it aloud.

Despite her apparent hatred toward him, Lisbon was actually kind of fond of him. Not that she'd ever tell him- or anyone else- that. Though Jane found new ways to send her into a rage almost daily, Lisbon didn't know what she would do without him.

Every time she was mad at him, she'd find an origami frog on her desk by the end of the day. Every time she was mad at him, he'd find a way to earn her forgiveness. Every time, without fail, Jane made her fall a little bit farther.

…

Jane's POV

(**After Megan's birth**)

…

Lisbon was pissed at him again. She was so upset that she'd taken Megan, gotten in the car, and gone to Grace's house. With a sigh, he ran his hand through his hair and glanced at the phone for the hundredth time.

Every time he upset her, he had to physically restrain himself from trying to fix it too soon. She always needed time to calm down before she could even be in the same room with him. If he tried to apologize before she was ready, it would be twice as long before she'd talk to him. Jane had learned that the hard way.

This time, he wasn't even sure that she was really pissed, or just sad. Jane had brought Megan into work during a particularly intense case. The killer had been caught the night before and was to be interrogated that morning. He was a pedophile who had raped and killed a five year old girl.

Needless to say, when Jane walked into the bullpen with their one and a half year old daughter in his arms, Lisbon was beyond words. She and another agent- Cole something-or-other- were leading the killer out and toward the elevator when she spotted them. A moment later, the pedophile noticed her stumble and looked over to see the cause. His eyes flashed and the other agent pulled him into the elevator.

Lisbon had waited until the doors were closed before flying at him, taking Megan out of his arms, and shrieking at him to get in her office. He'd ducked his head and followed. Lisbon had attempted to keep her volume down and her swearing to a minimum since their daughter was present. No way was Lisbon going to leave her now.

Jane had avoided eye contact the entire time. Every time he tried to apologize, she'd get louder. Finally, Lisbon had had enough and stormed out of her office. He didn't hear from her until he checked his voicemail.

She hadn't called him, just sent a voice message telling him she wouldn't be coming home that night, maybe not for a while. She had Megan, they were fine, but she was disappointed that he could be so careless.

Every time she was mad at him, he made her an origami frog and she would forgive him- every single time.

This time, though, he wondered if it would be enough.

…

**Author's Note: **I know, I know… The ending is weird. Don't worry, they're my OTP- I'd never break them up. I don't even know what this is.

Please review; it inspires me to write better chapters. Sorry that this wasn't nearly as good as I'd hoped. Please don't hate me. :P


	7. Family

**Author's Note:** I'm back from the dead, of goodness.

I am so sorry that it's been so long. I'm also sorry for that train wreck of a last chapter. For those of you who were concerned- they're *not* broken up. I could never and would never do that to them. I'm aware that Lisbon overreacted, but let's blame that on her _hormones_, okay? (Hint, hint.)

In the meantime, I'd like to tell those of you that actually read Author's Notes that another reason I haven't been updating is because I've been going through some personal stuff that has made me come extremely close to giving up on, well… Everything. Yeah.

I'm not editing this chapter at all, so I hope there aren't any errors… Sorry it's so short.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _The Mentalist_ or _The Very Hungry Caterpillar_.

**This is in the way-down-the-road future!**

…

Family

Jane's POV

…

"Daddy, tell Charlie to give me back my doll!" Six year old Megan whined. Patrick Jane sighed with a fond smile on his face and his daughter pouted up at him.

"Come on, sweetheart," he lifted her into the air, "let's go save your doll."

Together, the pair made their way down the hall to the play room where a nearly four year old boy was sitting on the floor, playing with blocks and, sure enough- Megan's doll.

"Charlie, did you take Megan's doll from her?" Jane knelt down to address his son. The boy grinned up at him.

"Daddy!" he cried, reaching out to his father to be picked up.

"No, Charlie, I asked you a question," Jane told his son, though he felt a surge of affection toward the boy. "Did you take Megan's doll?"

"Yeah, but I wanna play!"

"Charlie, it's not nice to take things without asking permission. Give Megan back her doll."

Megan, who was curled up next to her father, reached out and snatched her doll away from her brother's grasp.

"Hey!" Charlie cried.

"Megan," Jane scolded. "That wasn't very nice either." Megan simply pouted and hugged her doll to her chest. Jane sighed.

"Charlie, apologize to your sister."

"No!"

"Charlie," Jane warned. The boy glared at the floor.

"Sorry, sissy."

"It's okay," Megan said cheerfully. Jane glanced down to find that her mood had completely shifted. The girl stood and skipped out of the play room, humming under her breath.

The simplicity of being a child would never cease to amaze him.

…

"I think this is the first time we've both had a day off at the same time since Charlie was born," Lisbon commented later that week.

"You're right!" Jane turned to look at her with a grin on his face. Lisbon chuckled; sometimes Jane's enthusiasm made her feel like she had three children instead of two.

"I don't suppose you'll want to leave the house, then?" Jane wondered aloud. She sighed, conflicted.

"I really should go grocery shopping, but I'd much rather sleep some more," Lisbon said. "After that, we could go pick Charlie up from day care and get Megan from school and go out to dinner."

Jane gazed at his wife fondly.

"You sleep, I'll shop," he told her before pressing a kiss to her lips. Lisbon hummed her approval, wrapping her arms around Jane's neck. They lay back on their bed and stayed that way for a few moments until Jane broke away.

"If we keep that up, you really will end up with three kids," Jane teased.

"Please," Lisbon snorted. "I have self-control."

"Teresa, we've been over this. Limiting yourself to throwing things at me only twice a day does _not_ count as self-control," Jane pecked her on the lips once more before hurrying out of the room, barely avoiding the pillow that came flying his way.

…

"Goodnight, Megan," Jane told his daughter after pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Sweet dreams."

"G'night, daddy! G'night, mommy!" Megan giggled as she snuggled into her bed.

"Love you," Lisbon called from the doorway. Jane joined her and flicked the light switch. They walked in silence to the next room to find Charlie sitting on his bed.

"Mommy!" he cried. "Story!"

"It's bedtime, sweetie, you need to go to sleep," Jane told his son.

"I want a story," Charlie pouted. Jane looked back at his wife, a question in his eyes. She sighed, but nodded.

"Alright, what do you want me to read to you?" Jane asked.

"No, mommy!"

"I- okay, sure," Jane straightened up. He tried not to be offended that his son had just rejected him. "Teresa?"

"Of course," Lisbon took his spot without a second thought. "I'll be in in a minute. What do you want mommy to read, Charlie?"

"This one!" Charlie pulled a book from under his pillow. Jane turned away and headed back to his own room, listening to his wife's voice fondly.

"The Very Hungry Caterpillar, I like this one… _In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a leaf…_"

…

**Author's Note:** So, yeah. It's an update, a very strange one, but on the bright side… family!fluff. Again, sorry it's so short. I have no idea what to do with this story anymore.

I need suggestions! Please review- it inspires me to keep going.


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